Real Brownfields Deserve Dollars I
read with interest the story on Brownfield development dollars in the
July 20 issue. I applaud Dan Lathrop and other county commissioners who
voted “No” on the Randolph Street project...

Hopping Mad Carlin
Smith is hopping mad (“Will You Get Mad With Me?” 7-20-15). Somebody
filed a fraudulent return using his identity, and he’s not alone. The AP
estimates the government “pays more than $5 billion annually in
fraudulent tax refunds.” Well, many of us have been
hopping mad for years. This is because the number one tool Congress has
used to fix this problem has been to cut the IRS budget –by $1.2 billion
in the last 5 years...

Just Grumbling, No Solutions Mark
Pontoni’s grumblings [recent Northern Express column] tell us much
about him and virtually nothing about those he chooses to denigrate. We
do learn that Pontoni may be the perfect political candidate. He’s
arrogant, opinionated and obviously dimwitted...

A Racist Symbol I
have to respond to Gordon Lee Dean’s letter claiming that the
confederate battle flag is just a symbol of southern heritage and should
not be banned from state displays. The heritage it represents was the
treasonous effort to continue slavery by seceding from a democratic
nation unwilling to maintain such a consummate evil...

Not So Thanks I
would like to thank the individual who ran into and knocked over my
Triumph motorcycle while it was parked at Lowe’s in TC on Friday the
24th. The $3,000 worth of damage was greatly appreciated. The big dent
in the gas tank under the completely destroyed chrome badge was an
especially nice touch...

Danielle Horvath

DiningDanielle Horvath
“I can’t think of another winery in the state that is like us,” Jones said. “We have our own press to squeeze fresh juice from local grapes, pears and cherries for our honey and fruit meads. We combine Northern Michigan’s excellent wine grapes with different varieties of honey made from our bees.

DiningDanielle Horvath
The Mayfair Tavern, dubbed “Elberta’s Country Club,” has been a fixture in the tiny Benzie County hamlet of Elberta since the 1930s. It was owned and operated by several generations of the Luxford family until it was sold in 1998 to Wally Palmer.

DiningDanielle Horvath
He took pains to find a family-owned Chicago supplier for superior corned beef. He also makes a variety of baked bagels daily, homemade soup in the fall and winter, fresh salads with local ingredients, and an impressive array of dips, spreads, cheese and olives.

A flood of new businesses give Benzie County a lift

FeaturesDanielle Horvath
Okay, it may not be a “boom,” but several new businesses have opened that have added an economic shot in the arm to mostly rural Benzie County. From a natural foods market to a sports outfitter to an alpaca farm store and many others, they have filled up empty spaces and brought new ideas to the area.

FeaturesDanielle Horvath
They say it takes a village to raise a child. So what does it take toraise a village? Thats the question being asked in Honor, a hamlet ofless than 300 people just a stones throw from Platte River in BenzieCounty. Long-known as a sportsmens paradise  in 1999, it was votedMichigans top outdoor sports town by Sports Afield Magazine  Honor hasfallen a victim of the economy and is suffering from rural blight, withempty storefronts, closed businesses, and abandoned buildings.Doing something about it is Shantel Sellers, who grew up in Honor andreturned home last year to the house once owned by her family afterserving in the military, getting married and having three children.

DiningDanielle Horvath
The Roadhouse:Benzie Countys South of the Border ConnectionBy Danielle HorvathVoted number one for Mexican fare and Best Happy Hours in Benzie County, the Roadhouse Mexican Bar & Grill is heading into its 10th year of offering great consistently fresh-made food served up by a friendly staff in a fun atmosphere. From their homemade salsa and sauces  now sold in area stores  to their entrées and appetizers using authentic recipes by Chef Miguel, to the house signature Don Juan Margarita, to a variety of Mexican beers from Dos Equis to Negra Modelo, the Roadhouse has what it takes to draw dinner crowds year-round.

DiningDanielle Horvath
Bay View Grille offers harborside dining in FrankfortBy Danielle HorvathWhen Dale Evans and Jill Weide were looking for a place to retire and play golf, they considered warmer climes like Virginia, North Carolina, Arizona, and even checked out Costa Rica, before settling for the small town ambience of Frankfort. We walked around the town in December, with the snow coming down, and it was so peaceful and beautiful. We decided this was where we wanted to be, Dale said. They also changed their minds about playing golf and decided to purchase a restaurant with a great view of Betsie Bay. The view was there, all we had to do was add the good food and affordable price.

MusicDanielle Horvath
In Frankfort: Sweet Sounds from Miranda MusicBy Danielle HorvathFew would guess that Frankfort would be home to what is most likely Northern Michigans most international music store: Miranda Music.Thats based on the experience of its owners: Bogar Guzman and his wife Elizabeth Shrake.Bogar is an internationally-known musician, conductor, professional oboe and English horn player, while Elizabeth is a professional singer, choral conductor and music educator with a degree from DePaul University. Their combined music experiences have taken them from Guzmans native Venezuela  where he was a founding member of the Venezuelan Youth Symphony Orchestra  to touring Europe and playing professionally with the Lyric Opera in Chicago, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, conductor Leonard Bernstein, and opera greats Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.

DiningDanielle Horvath
A colorful past lingers at the Blue Slipper BistroBy Danielle HorvathFrom its early beginnings in the 1880s as a horse stop on the way to Arcadia, to the turn-of-the-century Manistee Brewery Co., to a lively brothel in the 30s, the Blue Slipper in Onekama has had many colorful owners in its 100-plus year history. Purchased in 1999 by Brian and Chris Kissel, today it remains a popular stop for locals and tourists alike.The Kissels brought years of restaurant experience and a face-lift to the former biker bar, adding Bistro to the name.

FeaturesDanielle Horvath
Set Sail for the Portage Point Inn: One of the region‘s first resorts carries on a 107-year traditionBy Danielle HorvathIn 1991 when Michael DeVoe sailed into Portage Lake from LakeMichigan, the first thing he saw was the huge wrap-around porch of theshuttered Portage Point Inn, sitting silent and in disrepair.

DiningDanielle Horvath
The Glenwood carries on a fine dining tradition in OnekamaBy Danielle HorvathTake a step back in time with a trip to The Glenwood  an authentic piece of Up North since the 1920s when it was part of a resort where families came for the summer. Since 1994, partners Donna Ervin and Chris Short have been at the helm of the fine dining establishment in Onekama, where many of their customers return year after year to celebrate special occasions.We have guests that dined with us the first night we were open in 1994 and have come back every year since, said Ervin. One customer, now in her 90s, was a bus girl here when she was 14; a couple from downstate came for their anniversary, they couldnt afford to stay the whole weekend so they came for dinner and drove back home.So what is their secret? We make new friends every year, says Ervin, and work hard to make every dining experience special in some way. Not only do we own and run the restaurant, we have developed our own unique array of appetizers and main courses, cook the meals ourselves, and prepare our own mouth-watering homemade desserts every day. It doesnt get much better than this.

DiningDanielle Horvath
Shays Chop House livens up Onekemas dining sceneBy Danielle HorvathFor Rick Shay, it was time to come home. He left the high profile lifehe had as a race car driver to pursue his other passion  cooking goodfood at his own restaurant: Shays Chop House in Onekema.

DiningDanielle Horvath
M-22 Café captures the heart of ArcadiaBy Danielle Horvath Looking for an authentic Up North café, where they make omeletswith farm fresh eggs and red skin potatoes, hearty soups, burgers, andsandwiches on homemade bread? Then take a drive to Arcadia and stop atthe M-22 Café.

DiningDanielle Horvath
4 Taste Fusion Bistro brings international flair to InterlochenBy Danielle HorvathWith an entrepreneurial spirit and what he hopes is a good hunch, MikePugh has jumped into the Interlochen food scene by opening 4 TasteFusion Bistro last fall.

DiningDanielle Horvath
Giovannis RoadhouseA taste of Italy upholds its tradition in InterlochenBy Danielle HorvathGiovannis Roadhouse in Interlochen received a makeover when newowners purchased it just over two years ago, but it remains true toits roots  serving good comfort food in a cozy and friendlyatmosphere.